China and the European Union [Paperback]

The European Union is Chinas largest trading partner, and Chinese views of the EU are of crucial importance in shaping how the relationship will develop in the future, especially as the new Chinese leadership takes power. This book presents the findings of an extensive research project into the views of both elite groups, in government, business, academia, media and social activists, and the Chinese public towards Europe and the European Union. It considers attitudes on a wide range of subjects, and reaches a number of interesting, encouraging conclusions. These include the fact that as Chinese peoples knowledge of, and travel to, Europe becomes more extensive, Chinese attitudes towards Europe become more positive; that Chinese people have a high regard for European culture and a high degree of trust in Europeans; though there are significant differences between different Chinese groups concerning controversial issues in the China-EU relationship. Overall, the book concludes that the Chinese public opinion supports a strong bilateral relation.

Part 1: Introduction 1. Project Chinese views of the EU Zhengxu Wang, Lisheng Dong and Daniela Stockmann Part 2: Citizens 2. Chinese Views of the EU: An Overview of Survey Findings Li Zhang and Ying Yu 3. Attitudes towards the EU: In search of an explanation Henk Dekker and Jolanda van der Noll 4. Knowledge of the EU brews affects Zhengxu Wang and Bogdan Popescu 5. Chinese Affect towards European Culture Christian Welzel, Stefanie Reher and Timo Graf  6. Chinese Trust in Europeans: Exploring determinants and consequences Jan Delhey and Timo Graf 7. Interest, knowledge, and travel in Chinese View of EU and international Affairs Philip Everts Part 3: Elites and citizens 8.lS$